Fort Myers city leaders seek community input for Midtown redevelopment

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

Fort Myers is inviting residents to participate in shaping the Midtown redevelopment project by attending a public open house Monday.

The city plans to bring in new developments like apartments, restaurants, a multi-sports complex and even a university, while improving street design and creating a more walkable environment.

Earlier this month, the council approved nearly $30 million for the redevelopment. The area covers parts of Fort Myers from Martin Luther King Boulevard to Edison Avenue.

City leaders say community input is critical in this process. That's why they’re hosting the public open house Monday at 3 p.m., giving residents the chance to see the plan and share their ideas.

People like Alan Freeman, who lives in Fort Myers, are excited to see these developments come to life. "I think the more people you get downtown, the better it's going to be."

Mayor Kevin Anderson emphasized the importance of projects like developing Midtown to keep the city alive.

"If we're not growing, we're dying. And we went through this cycle decades ago, where there was that resistance to growth and expansion, and the city literally almost died. We had no development, no growth whatsoever. Downtown was abandoned. Now look at us, and we cannot go backwards," said Anderson.

This is one of many planned public engagement sessions for Midtown.

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